"I'm big as a house," Topanga thought to herself as she washed the dishes, "I can't even see my feet. Lord only knows if my shoes are untied."
For the first time in days, she laughed. As the day of her baby's arrival drew nearer, her anxiety about who the father was began to increase. The last three months had been happily normal. She and Cory had gone out to celebrate, bragging about their baby-to-be and the little family they were starting. Cory had begun to clear out their apartment's guest room for a nursery. Topanga had actually started to smile. But now that the baby was nearly ready to make his or her appearance, she had started to worry again.
And there was no word from Shawn. Well, there was word, but he hardly ever dropped by. Before Topanga got pregnant, Shawn would drop by at least five times a week, just to say hello, and he and Cory would watch TV while Topanga eagerly dove into her schoolwork in the kitchen. She longed to hear her husband and his best friend laughing together in the living room again, without a care in the world.
For some reason, Cory hadn't noticed Shawn's sudden disappearance, and if he did, Topanga attributed his ignorance to thinking Shawn wanted to leave them alone during this joyful period. Cory had been putting more hours in at work, also, and he had told her one night that Shawn and Rachel were practically engaged. All good reason for Shawn not to visit, but Topanga knew the truth. Both of them felt ashamed that this baby could be theirs, and each was just trying to move on and forget about what happened that night, eight months ago.
The baby kicked, and Topanga placed a loving, but nervous, hand on her stomach. "No matter whose you are," she whispered, "you must know that your mommy loves you. And I'm sure your daddy does, too."
As much as she didn't want to admit it to herself, Topanga was actually somewhat angry that Shawn didn't want to partake in the birth of her baby. Whether or not the child was his, he should at least be happy for the couple, and want to be around to help them celebrate. She couldn't blame him, though, for feeling uncomfortable in such an awkward situation. Nevertheless, she thought he should come around once in a while.
The phone rang, and Topanga was so startled she nearly smashed a plate in the sink. She awkwardly ran to the phone, as fast as her growing belly would let her, and answered it as quickly as possible.
"Hello?"
"Topanga? Um... It's Shawn."
She paused, not knowing how to respond. "Oh... Hi, Shawn. Cory's not here. Work called him in last minute. I guess some guy couldn't go in today, so they-"
"Actually, I didn't want to talk to Cory," Shawn said slowly. "I need to talk to you. About the baby..."
"Do you really want to do this over the phone? I'm sorry, Shawn. I know you're one of my best friends, although you haven't shown it lately, but really, that won't stop me from telling you off. Do you know how insincere you are for discussing such a situation over the phone? After you haven't spoken to me in months?"
"I know, I know. But here's the deal: Rachel and I are eloping. I just wanted to let you know that... Well, we won't be around."
"When will you be back?" Topanga asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
"That's the thing. Topanga, we're not coming back. We're gonna move to New York. Start a new life. Rachel doesn't know about what happened between you and me, and neither does Cory. And it's probably best if it stays that way. I figure, if Rachel and I move away, nobody will have to find out. There won't be any tension... No stress... No messes to clean up..."
"How COULD you?!" Topanga yelled into the receiver. "You can't just up and leave like that. Even if we didn't sleep together, I'd still be mad at you for doing such a thing. What if this baby IS yours? Didn't you ever think that maybe I WANT you here when the baby comes?"
"Honestly? No, I didn't. I didn't think it was that important. You've got your loving husband, you've got your baby on the way, and you have a wonderful future to think about. Why the hell should I still be in the picture?"
"I - I don't know," Topanga finally replied after a long pause. "I don't know. Maybe because you're one of our best friends. Maybe because this baby might be yours... Or maybe because... I'll miss you, Shawn."
"What?"
"Listen... If this baby is yours, it was just a big mistake. We were young and stupid, and our hormones just took over. The truth is, I needed you then, Shawn, and I know I'll need you in the future. You've always been there for me, and I always WANT you to be there for me. If you elope with Rachel..."
"You can't have it both ways, Topanga," Shawn was beginning to get upset, and started to raise his voice, "You can't be in love and married to my best friend, and still string me along just because 'you want me there.' That's not fair to anyone involved, especially Cory, and especially your baby."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" Topanga started to cry. "This whole situation has been haunting me since day one. And with you gone-"
"You can forget the whole thing ever happened. Look, Topanga. You know I love you. We practically grew up together. I never tried anything with you, because you and Cory were meant to be... Like I told you that night. This whole thing is just better for the both of us. If I'm with Rachel, then you're with Cory. He can support the kid, and you'll be much happier."
"So... you don't really love Rachel?"
"It's just better for all of us. I have to go, Topanga. Maybe I'll see you someday. I hope everything goes okay for you and the baby."
He hung up quickly, and Topanga was left listening to an empty buzz on the other end of the phone. She threw the receiver across the room in anger, and slid to the floor in tears.
It was then that she felt the shooting pains.
For the first time in days, she laughed. As the day of her baby's arrival drew nearer, her anxiety about who the father was began to increase. The last three months had been happily normal. She and Cory had gone out to celebrate, bragging about their baby-to-be and the little family they were starting. Cory had begun to clear out their apartment's guest room for a nursery. Topanga had actually started to smile. But now that the baby was nearly ready to make his or her appearance, she had started to worry again.
And there was no word from Shawn. Well, there was word, but he hardly ever dropped by. Before Topanga got pregnant, Shawn would drop by at least five times a week, just to say hello, and he and Cory would watch TV while Topanga eagerly dove into her schoolwork in the kitchen. She longed to hear her husband and his best friend laughing together in the living room again, without a care in the world.
For some reason, Cory hadn't noticed Shawn's sudden disappearance, and if he did, Topanga attributed his ignorance to thinking Shawn wanted to leave them alone during this joyful period. Cory had been putting more hours in at work, also, and he had told her one night that Shawn and Rachel were practically engaged. All good reason for Shawn not to visit, but Topanga knew the truth. Both of them felt ashamed that this baby could be theirs, and each was just trying to move on and forget about what happened that night, eight months ago.
The baby kicked, and Topanga placed a loving, but nervous, hand on her stomach. "No matter whose you are," she whispered, "you must know that your mommy loves you. And I'm sure your daddy does, too."
As much as she didn't want to admit it to herself, Topanga was actually somewhat angry that Shawn didn't want to partake in the birth of her baby. Whether or not the child was his, he should at least be happy for the couple, and want to be around to help them celebrate. She couldn't blame him, though, for feeling uncomfortable in such an awkward situation. Nevertheless, she thought he should come around once in a while.
The phone rang, and Topanga was so startled she nearly smashed a plate in the sink. She awkwardly ran to the phone, as fast as her growing belly would let her, and answered it as quickly as possible.
"Hello?"
"Topanga? Um... It's Shawn."
She paused, not knowing how to respond. "Oh... Hi, Shawn. Cory's not here. Work called him in last minute. I guess some guy couldn't go in today, so they-"
"Actually, I didn't want to talk to Cory," Shawn said slowly. "I need to talk to you. About the baby..."
"Do you really want to do this over the phone? I'm sorry, Shawn. I know you're one of my best friends, although you haven't shown it lately, but really, that won't stop me from telling you off. Do you know how insincere you are for discussing such a situation over the phone? After you haven't spoken to me in months?"
"I know, I know. But here's the deal: Rachel and I are eloping. I just wanted to let you know that... Well, we won't be around."
"When will you be back?" Topanga asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
"That's the thing. Topanga, we're not coming back. We're gonna move to New York. Start a new life. Rachel doesn't know about what happened between you and me, and neither does Cory. And it's probably best if it stays that way. I figure, if Rachel and I move away, nobody will have to find out. There won't be any tension... No stress... No messes to clean up..."
"How COULD you?!" Topanga yelled into the receiver. "You can't just up and leave like that. Even if we didn't sleep together, I'd still be mad at you for doing such a thing. What if this baby IS yours? Didn't you ever think that maybe I WANT you here when the baby comes?"
"Honestly? No, I didn't. I didn't think it was that important. You've got your loving husband, you've got your baby on the way, and you have a wonderful future to think about. Why the hell should I still be in the picture?"
"I - I don't know," Topanga finally replied after a long pause. "I don't know. Maybe because you're one of our best friends. Maybe because this baby might be yours... Or maybe because... I'll miss you, Shawn."
"What?"
"Listen... If this baby is yours, it was just a big mistake. We were young and stupid, and our hormones just took over. The truth is, I needed you then, Shawn, and I know I'll need you in the future. You've always been there for me, and I always WANT you to be there for me. If you elope with Rachel..."
"You can't have it both ways, Topanga," Shawn was beginning to get upset, and started to raise his voice, "You can't be in love and married to my best friend, and still string me along just because 'you want me there.' That's not fair to anyone involved, especially Cory, and especially your baby."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" Topanga started to cry. "This whole situation has been haunting me since day one. And with you gone-"
"You can forget the whole thing ever happened. Look, Topanga. You know I love you. We practically grew up together. I never tried anything with you, because you and Cory were meant to be... Like I told you that night. This whole thing is just better for the both of us. If I'm with Rachel, then you're with Cory. He can support the kid, and you'll be much happier."
"So... you don't really love Rachel?"
"It's just better for all of us. I have to go, Topanga. Maybe I'll see you someday. I hope everything goes okay for you and the baby."
He hung up quickly, and Topanga was left listening to an empty buzz on the other end of the phone. She threw the receiver across the room in anger, and slid to the floor in tears.
It was then that she felt the shooting pains.